Observer Reviews
I've always thought thinking of the future could be scary, but Observer takes it to the next level.
With Observer, Bloober Team have crafted an interesting, and often clever, sci-fi horror game. There's a few tiny technical hitches, some detective work that feels a little too obscure, and a lead character voiced in an inconsistent manner, yet the strength of the game's world-building, and execution of its memorable literal head trips, softens the blow considerably.
Observer is rough. Some neat narrative beats and a beautifully presented cyberpunk world paired with an exceptional performance from Rutger Hauer end up being the only redeeming qualities present in this title. This is a game that, despite being short, feels overlong, due in part to some tedious and obnoxious gameplay segments, and some of the least subtle “horror” we've encountered in recent memory. Throw in a bevy of technical problems and a third act that is complete nonsense, and Observer is, at best, a bit of a mess. To call this game a letdown would be an understatement.
Observer is a very interesting first person adventure game featuring a well-crafted setting and characters as well as the team's signature transitions, which manage to carry everything forward in spite of the gameplay which gets slightly repetitive over time. While the single elements may not be particularly original, the sum of the parts more than makes up for it, making Observers a worthy purchase for fans of psychological horror and dystopian settings.
What starts out as poorly articulated, corny dialogue starts to feel very fitting of the environment as you begin to realize everyone is only a fragment of themselves.
Observer is a love letter to cyberpunk and Blade Runner in particular, but if you look past that it's also a really great game in its own right. We are taken on a graphic and dark journey, in a bleak but believable world, meeting all manner of interesting and isolated characters as Dan searches for his son. Dripping with atmosphere, blood and chrome, this game is a slow, dark deliberate journey through the dark heart of a hellish future and the nightmares within. Observer is available from the Nintendo e-shop for £26.99
Observer on the Switch brings back all the good aspects of the game and gives you more flexibility on how to play it with new touch inputs and, of course, the option to play it on the go.
The Rutger Hauer-starring cyberpunk noir adventure game >observer_ arrives to the Nintendo Switch in an extremely well-crafted and impressive port.
Observer is a tad clunky as a straight detective game but its story, setting and mind-diving conceit make it much more than that. It's gorgeously depressing, uncomfortable in a number of ways, and you won't be able to shake it from your own thoughts for some time.
Despite some minor technical quibbles and uneven voice acting, Observer is a nightmarish gem. Drawing heavily on seminal sci-fi film Blade Runner for its overall cyberpunk aesthetic, this new game from Bloober Team adds fantastic game design and an engaging narrative to keep you coming back despite the terror it induces.
Through the painting of a dystopian society controlled by a powerful corporation, this narrative experience fascinates as much as it disturbs. It interrogates the player about transhumanism and virtual reality in a very original way, directly involving him in the heart of his reflection. Observer is one of those games you remember for a very long time.
Review in French | Read full review
While gameplay might not break any new ground, puzzles and crime scenes provide enough interaction to keep you engaged beyond just watching the story unfold. The way in which the Observer uses implants as a means to explore memories is inventive, giving the narrative a grander sense of scale without technically leaving the building.
Whether or not you suffer from simulator sickness, Bloober Team's latest, Observer, will make you queasy.
Varied horror psychotrip into an atmospheric cyberpunk world with annoying stealth passages.
Review in German | Read full review
Observer is something unique on the Nintendo Switch catalogue, a game that brings two very different gameplay styles together and which creates a haunting and disturbing experience, in the background of a marvelous cyberpunk dystopian atmosphere and with a plot that allows for several different endings. This is a game everyone should try at least once.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Ultimately, Observer excels at world building and gameplay variety, keeping the player busy with a list of things to do.
Despite the technical downgrade compared with the other versions, Observer is still an extraordinary game with a magnificent cyberpunk atmosphere and some visual effects that would certainly please David Lynch.
Review in French | Read full review
Observer has some really noticeable issues, including some iffy voice acting, lame stealth segments, pixel hunt puzzles, and crashing issues. However, it's saved by better puzzles, some great imagery, and a story that is worth paying attention to.
>observer_ takes the beats from Bloober Team's own Layers of Fear, adds a layer of cyberpunk, and somehow comes out the other end both unnerving, and more than the sum of its parts. There are a few small technical hiccups present, and some infrequent uneven voice work, but beyond that there's an amazing story about the human toll of investigation and observation.